ORIGINS:
- During the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, Stokely Carmichael and other SNCC
member ‘set up shop’ in Lowndes County to urge black people to vote and become
more politically involved.
- Within a year, Carmichael had helped organize the Lowndes County Freedom
Organization or the Black Panther Party.
- John Hulett became its most prominent member.
- Carmichael addressed a group in Los Angeles about the history of the party, May 22 nd
- “The black panther was a viscous animal, who, if was attacked, would not back up...
it was a political symbol that we was here stay and we were going to do whatever
needed to be done to survive”.
- The name stuck with the young people of California and there were a number of rival
black panthers threatening violence against each other.
- The slogan “power to the people” began to spread around the community.
- Newton said that he was inspired by the Lowndes group who had armed themselves
against violent attacks and therefor had written to the Lowndes group asking
permission to use it. Hulett said that the name belonged to all black people trying
fight oppressive forces.
- Black Panthers were a militant group within the Black Power Movement – more than
willing to use violence.
- Involved with many clashes with police and many leaders ended in prison.
- According to Bobby Seale and Huey Newton (founders) - they decided they needed to
watch the police the police to ensure their “black brothers” weren't getting brutalized
and arrested. They armed themselves with a law book, a tape recorder and a shotgun
(legal to carry if it wasn’t concealed).
TEN POINT PLATFORM OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY: (issued May, 1967)
1. We want freedom – we want power to determine the destiny of our black community.
2. We want full employment for our people – we believe federal government is
responsible and obligated to give every man employment and guaranteed income.
3. We want an end to the robbery by the white man (capitalist) of our black community –
exploitation.
4. We want decent housing, fit for the shelter of human beings.
5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent
American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in
the present-day society.
6. We want all black men to be exempt from military service – Vietnam.
7. We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of black people.
8. We want freedom for all black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and
jails.
- During the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, Stokely Carmichael and other SNCC
member ‘set up shop’ in Lowndes County to urge black people to vote and become
more politically involved.
- Within a year, Carmichael had helped organize the Lowndes County Freedom
Organization or the Black Panther Party.
- John Hulett became its most prominent member.
- Carmichael addressed a group in Los Angeles about the history of the party, May 22 nd
- “The black panther was a viscous animal, who, if was attacked, would not back up...
it was a political symbol that we was here stay and we were going to do whatever
needed to be done to survive”.
- The name stuck with the young people of California and there were a number of rival
black panthers threatening violence against each other.
- The slogan “power to the people” began to spread around the community.
- Newton said that he was inspired by the Lowndes group who had armed themselves
against violent attacks and therefor had written to the Lowndes group asking
permission to use it. Hulett said that the name belonged to all black people trying
fight oppressive forces.
- Black Panthers were a militant group within the Black Power Movement – more than
willing to use violence.
- Involved with many clashes with police and many leaders ended in prison.
- According to Bobby Seale and Huey Newton (founders) - they decided they needed to
watch the police the police to ensure their “black brothers” weren't getting brutalized
and arrested. They armed themselves with a law book, a tape recorder and a shotgun
(legal to carry if it wasn’t concealed).
TEN POINT PLATFORM OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY: (issued May, 1967)
1. We want freedom – we want power to determine the destiny of our black community.
2. We want full employment for our people – we believe federal government is
responsible and obligated to give every man employment and guaranteed income.
3. We want an end to the robbery by the white man (capitalist) of our black community –
exploitation.
4. We want decent housing, fit for the shelter of human beings.
5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent
American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in
the present-day society.
6. We want all black men to be exempt from military service – Vietnam.
7. We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of black people.
8. We want freedom for all black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and
jails.
